HIQA's draft report is understood to place some of the blame for the hospital's shortcomings on senior managers within the HSE.
The clash between the HSE and HIQA is likely to pile pressure on the Health Minister Leo Varadkar.
After five babies died in similar circumstances the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise between 2006 and 2012 – the Chief Medical Officer of the HSE was asked to investigate.
In finding that the maternity unit was unsafe, Tony Holohan said that the families involved got limited respect, kindness, courtesy and consideration when they raised concerns about the deaths of their babies.
As a result, the then Health Minster James Reilly ordered an investigation by the independent health watchdog, HIQA.
Health Correspondent with the Irish Times Paul Cullen, who's seen HIQA's draft report, says it's critical of management within the HSE.
It's also emerged that the Health Service Executive threatened legal action against HIQA to stop the report being published.
In a statement, the HSE says “it and HIQA are working in accordance with an agreed process to bring finality to the HSE's input into the process of finalising the report.”
Paul Cullen says they're trying to stave off a legal challenge by people named in the report.
Another consequence of the debacle is that the report is going to be further delayed, until next month and it will put pressure on the Health Minister Leo Varadkar.
